Mounted-into-automobile device

• US 6,724,101 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2001
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Inventors: Endo, Hiroyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Toatley, Jr., Gregory J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Polk, Sharon A.
• Application Number:
  US09/779,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20010017484A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 361/814, 361/728, 381/86
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/00 Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/00 Electric devices on electrically-propelled vehicles for safety purposes; Monitoring operating variables, e.g. speed, deceleration or energy consumption methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells B60L58/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0205 for radio sets B60R11/0211 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0211 for record carriers apparatus, e.g. video recorders, tape players or CD players
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0096 Theft prevention of articles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/027 for Din-sized apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/00 Arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus with cameras or projectors G03B31/00 ; recording/reproducing of music for electrophonic musical instruments G10H1/0033; automatic arrangements for answering calls or for recording messages for absent subscribers H04M1/64; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with dictation recording and playback systems H04M11/10; connection of TV recorder with other related apparatus, e.g. TV camera or receiver, in which the TV signal is significantly involved H04N, e.g. H04N23/00, H04N5/765; combination of radio or TV with other apparatus, e.g. with vehicles H05K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/02 Cabinets; Cases; Stands; Disposition of apparatus therein or thereon
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/00 Installations of electric cables or lines or protective tubing therefor in or on buildings, equivalent structures or vehicles installations of bus-bars H02G5/00; overhead installations H02G7/00; installations in or on the ground H02G9/00

Abstract

In a mounted-into-automobile device having a mounted-into-automobile device body and a faceplate 15 attached to this mounted-into-automobile device body detachably, the faceplate 15 is composed of a faceplate for right steering wheel car and a faceplate for left steering wheel car, and both the faceplates 15 are constituted so that they can be connected to the mounted-into-automobile device body.

Claims

1. A mounted-into-automobile device, comprising:

an attaching portion to which a detachable module is to be detachably attached, wherein

said detachable module comprises a faceplate, said faceplate being any one of a first faceplate designed for a car having a steering wheel on the right side and a second faceplate designed for a car having a steering wheel on the left side, a layout of components on said first faceplate differing from a layout of components on said second faceplate based on a relative location of a person using said mounted-into-automobile device, and said attaching portion accommodates a detachable module having any one of said first faceplate or said second faceplate.

2. The mounted-into-automobile device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a rewritable memory storing an operating system, said operating system being constituted rewritably according to which one of said first and second faceplates that is attached.

3. A mounted-into-automobile device comprising:

an attaching portion to which a faceplate module is detachably attachable, said attachable faceplate module including means to provide a control signal that includes a classification data of said faceplate;

recognizing means connected to said attaching portion mounted in said automobile for recognizing said classification data of said faceplate when attached to said attaching portion, said recognizing based on said control signal; and

specification setting means for setting at least one operating specification on the basis of the classification data.

4. The mounted-into-automobile device according to claim 3, wherein said specification setting means includes,

memory means for storing a plurality of operation programs corresponding to the classification data, and

selection means for selecting the operation program on the basis of the classification data.

5. The mounted-into-automobile device according to claim 3, wherein the classification data comprises an identification of a layout of components on a front face of said faceplate, said layout comprising one of a layout designed to be operated by a user in a car having a steering wheel on the right side and a layout designed to be operated by a user in a car having a steering wheel on the left side.

6. The mounted-into-automobile device according to claim 3, wherein the classification data defines a language as an operating specification.

7. The mounted-into-automobile device according to claim 6, wherein said language is selected by selection of a country code by a user.

8. A detachable control panel for a mounted-into-automobile device, comprising:

a faceplate on a front face;

a plurality of control devices arranged on said faceplate to permit control inputs by a user, said control devices being arranged in one of two predetermined layouts, a first of said two predetermined layouts for a user in an automobile having a steering wheel on a first side, and a second of said two predetermined layouts for a user in an automobile having a steering wheel on a second side;

an attaching portion on a back face to attach said detachable control panel to a mounting body installed in an automobile, said mounting body including a controller to receive signals from said control devices; and

an identifier to provide a signal to said controller to identify which one of said two predetermined layouts has been incorporated on said faceplate.

9. The detachable control panel of claim 8, wherein said first side comprises a right side and said second side comprises a left side.

10. A mounted-into-automobile system, comprising:

a mounting body installed in an automobile, said mounting body including a controller to receive control inputs from a control panel and to provide output signals based on said control inputs; and

a control panel detachably attached to said mounting body, said control panel including a plurality of control devices arranged in one of two predetermined layouts, a first of said two predetermined layouts for a user in an automobile having a steering wheel on the right side, and a second of said two predetermined layouts for a user in an automobile having a steering wheel on the left side, said control panel further providing a signal to said controller to identify which one of said two predetermined layouts has been incorporated on said faceplate.